The PERSUIT Podcast

Attorney, news junkie, and tireless pro bono advocate Tom O’Neill has been on both sides of the corporate law fence. After law school at Notre Dame, Tom joined Jenner & Block of Chicago — a diverse, 100-year-old firm committed to social justice and serving the community. Content, Tom thought he’d never leave — until he received a fascinating offer from Exelon, a major supplier of the country’s nuclear power. From assistant associate counsel to SVP and General Counsel, this valuable experience gave Tom a unique insight into the C-suite, the energy industry, and how to lead with integrity. Now back in private practice at J & B, Tom is leveraging what he learned in the business world to drive the growth of his firm and further his passions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Topics covered: - Taking risks and not being afraid to fail spectacularly. - Diving head first into an industry he knew less than nothing about. - Pivoting away from private practice and back again. “Trust yourself, and I think you'll find that there's real growth when you put yourself in a position where you have to grow — and you will.” — Tom O’Neill Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player. Resources from today’s episode: - Tom O’Neill - Exelon Host Jim Delkousis Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In what role could a family legacy of law and an interest in business intersect? In legal operations, of course. In this episode, I interview Mike Haven, Senior Director, Associate General Counsel, Head of Legal Operations at Intel, about his fascinating career path and its origins. What we talked about: - The evolution of Mike’s career, beginning in eighth grade - His learnings at his different companies and roles - The first 6 months at his current role - Strategic priorities he has implemented for Intel - All things CLOC To hear more interviews like this one, subscribe to the Innovative Legal Leadership Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.  Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Leading cultural change within a legal department requires consistency and innovation in response to situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic and telecommunication. Anat Hakim, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Eli Lilly and Company, joins the show to discuss her humble beginnings, building resiliency and recognizing it in others, and strategies for cultural initiatives. What we talked about: - Overview of Anat’s Career & the Transition from Law Firm to In-House - Unpacking the Formative Years of Anat’s Life - How Anat Came to Work for Eli Lilly and Company - Steps to Winning the American Lawyers General Counsel of the Year Award - Aligning Cultural Initiatives w/ Organizational Resiliency - Early Priorities & Initiatives for the Entire Legal Department - Dispelling Myths about the GC Position & Self-Reflections on the Past To hear more interviews like this one, subscribe to the Innovative Legal Leadership Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.  Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

If Louise Pentland could give her 25-year-old self a piece of advice, it would be this: be willing to fail. The EVP, Chief Business Affairs and Legal Officer at PayPal said that failure has been her most valuable career experience. That’s why she hires teams with an eye for innovation and resilience. Recently on Innovative Legal Leadership, Louise talked with us about:- The trajectory of her stunning legal career -Lessons from her mentors and sponsors - Building teams founded in a culture of innovation - Understanding financials, HR, and the legal functions- - D&I and Louise’s hope for her cultural legacy Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Having mentors and a strong sense of resilience can make all the difference when finding your footing within corporations and law firms as a minority or woman. Hiring groups need to spend time not only on hiring with diversity in mind, but also on retaining the diverse employees. Vanessa Watson, Vice President, Senior Managing Counsel at Mastercard International, describes her incredible journey into law, how she’s come into her success, and strategies for corporations & law firms. What we talked about: - Vanessa’s Shift from Theatrical Beginnings To Law - Journey into Law and the Transition to Mastercard - Vanessa’s Time at Mastercard - Disrupting the Hiring of Women and Minorities - Personal Successes and Advice for Her Children Check out the resources below for more information: - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-kaye-watson-0b980815/ - https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-association-of-minority-&-women-owned-law-firms/ To hear more interviews like this one, subscribe to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.  Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Vanessa Sutherland pursued a law degree and an MBA so she could combine her passion for analysis with a love for finances and taxes. She worked in the telecom and tobacco industries gradually advancing through in-house roles with increasing responsibility. In 2011, she received an incredible opportunity to become the GC of a federal agency — the DOT. Currently, she is the Executive VP of Government Relations and CLO at Norfolk Southern We discuss: - Developing new skills and knowledge in a public service role - Establishing a legal ops department - Leveraging process mapping within the legal ops team - Making personal and professional adjustments to COVID - Supporting D&I initiatives with data Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Ann Kappler’s first passion was theatre. But while pursuing acting, a day job as a paralegal sparked a new interest: law. At Jenner & Block, she worked with insurance agent trade association clients, which led to two Supreme Court arguments. After accepting a position as Deputy General Counsel at Fannie Mae, she discovered a love for the strategy and people management aspects of in-house work. Currently, she is the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Prudential Financial. We discussed: - The advantages to working in-house versus a law firm - Speaking for the company on external affairs and public policy - Advocating for DEI and issues concerning financial stability - Managing a hybrid workforce - The importance of persuasion skills Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Sabine Chalmers started in private practice at Hogan & Lovells. While there, she had a great view into how different types of businesses were run. But she quickly realized she wanted to be part of a business. She started her in-house career with Guinness and later became GC North America of Diageo followed by CLO of Anheuser-Busch InBev. Currently, she is the Group GC at BT. We discuss: - The influence of having a global perspective growing up - Offering valuable perspective as the sole woman on an executive team - Building up a knowledge base after transferring to a new industry - Strategies for driving DEI initiatives - Getting awarded Transformative In-House Team of the Year at BT Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

During his early years as an associate, Rishi Varma took up an interest in what it meant to grow a company and what he could bring to the table. In his career, he followed that passion with roles as acting GC for Technology Holdings (India), followed by 5 years as the President and COO of Trico Marine Services, a company with $500 million in revenue. Currently, he is the GC and Corporate Secretary at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. We discuss: - How leading a business taught him to be a better GC - Demonstrating value in the talent you develop - Strategies for developing cost-saving measures - Using virtual reality to simulate face-to-face meetings - Managing issues of inclusion and diversity with outside counsel Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Minority- and women-led law firms fighting for equal opportunities is a continuing struggle. Raising awareness and presenting clear strategies to eliminate the discrimination are essential to creating change. Leslie Davis, CEO of the National Association of Minority & Women-Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF), joins us to discuss her journey into law and how she’s moving the needle for these firms. What we talked about: - How Leslie became a lawyer - Leslie’s call to action to general counsel - Initial steps to start hiring NAMWOLF firms - Positive influence from mentors and advice To hear more interviews like this one, subscribe to the Innovative Legal Leadership Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.  Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.